Luxottica Group Outfits Iron Man Lead Role With Summer's Hottest Eyewear

NEW YORK, May 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, and Jeff Bridges light up the silver screen this spring in the highly-anticipated film, Iron Man -- released in theaters today by Paramount Pictures and Marvel Enterprises. Luxottica Group, the global leader in eyewear, provided leading man Robert Downey, Jr. with the frames he needed to bring Marvel's best-selling Iron Man comic book character to life.

Downey, Jr. plays Tony Stark/Iron Man, a billionaire inventor who creates a high-tech suit of armor to fight evil and protect mankind. He can be seen saving the world in sleek silver Ray-Bans (RB3320) and stealth, black Dolce & Gabbana frames (DG6002).

The film also stars Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow (Virginia "Pepper" Potts) and Oscar nominees Terrance Howard (St. Coll. Jim Rhodes) and Jeff Bridges (Obadiah Stane). Iron Man is directed by Daytime Emmy-nominee John Favreau, who relied on his Persols (PO2833) while bringing his character Hogan to life.

The eyewear styles featured in Iron Man are currently available for purchase at leading independent optical chains, sunglass specialty stores and other fine optical providers. For more information, please visit http://www.luxottica.com/.

About Luxottica Group S.p.A.

Luxottica Group is a global leader in eyewear, with over 6,000 optical and sun retail stores in North America, Asia-Pacific, China, South Africa and Europe and a strong brand portfolio that includes Ray-Ban, the best selling sun and prescription eyewear brand in the world, as well as among others, license brands Bvlgari, Burberry, Chanel, Dolce&Gabbana, Donna Karan, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo and Versace, and key house brands Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Vogue, Persol, Arnette and REVO. In addition to a global wholesale network that touches 130 countries, the Group manages leading retail brands such as LensCrafters, Pearle Vision and Sunglass Icon, in North America, OPSM and Laubman & Pank in Asia-Pacific, and Sunglass Hut globally. The Group's products are designed and manufactured in six Italy-based high- quality manufacturing plants and the in the only two-China based plants fully- owned by a premium eyewear manufacturer. For fiscal year 2007, Luxottica Group posted consolidated net sales of Euro 5 billion. Additional information on the Group is available at http://www.luxottica.com/.

Contact: Amanda Bullock (212-445-8422) abullock@rogersandcowan.com Caroline Curtis (212-445-8447) ccurtis@rogersandcowan.com Rogers & Cowan NY